Charlie Hunnam to Play King Arthur for Guy Ritchie

Charlie Hunnam is director Guy Ritchie’s choice to play King Arthur in the Warner Bros.-Village Roadshow medieval tentpole.

Elizabeth Olsen is the frontrunner for the female lead. Idris Elba is attached to play a Merlin-esque figure who trains and mentors Arthur.

Hunnam, who stars in “Sons of Anarchy,” read for the part recently along with Henry Cavill and Jai Courtney.

Joby Harold wrote the the script and is producing with Akiva Goldsman and Tory Tunnell. Plot details are under wraps with the film set to open on July 22, 2016.

Disney released “King Arthur” in 2004 starring Clive Owen and Keira Knightley. Warners had been developing an “Arthur and Lancelot” project with David Dobkin directing and Kit Harington starring, but the project never made it into production.

Honestly, Idris Elba would make a better King Arthur. He has the stance of a monarch. And technically, it’s possible since this was the time when Europe was seeing a lot of traveling between countries. I’d expect Hunnam to be more of a Lancelot. And yes! Merlin could be a woman. It would make a story that’s been told thousands of times a little more interesting, anyway. I’m really getting bored with safe casting.

Jamie couldn’t have done it anyway, what with being the lead in the ‘9th Life of Louis Drax’ and ‘The Seige of Jadotville’, and still doing the tv series ‘The Fall’ and doing the next two Shades movies.